This invention is directed to an optical comparator for facilitating identification of plant parasites and in particular to an optical comparator for producing a magnified side-by-side image of a plant specimen and a photographic picture of the plant specimen to facilitate identification of plant parasites afflicting the plant specimen.
Among the difficulties encountered in proper plant care is the inability of the untrained person to identify bugs and other plant parasites that are likely to attack plant life. Such parasites, if unidentified and hence untreated, cause plant illness and ultimately destroy plant life. Although illustrations of the different parasites likely to attack plant life are included in reference texts, heretofore, the manner in which such parasites have been identified have been less than completely satisfactory.
For example, although conventional magnification instrumentation has been utilized to produce a magnified image of the plant specimen, because of the very small size of the plant parasites, as well as their extremely natural looking characteristics, often even under magnification, the plant parasites cannot be discerned, and even if discerned, the specific type of parasite cannot be identified. Although numerous reference texts have been provided, which texts include blown-up black-and-white or color illustrations of the different parasites likely to attack plant life, if such parasites cannot be discerned in the magnified image due to their natural characteristics, the blown-up illustrations are of no help in identifying such parasites. Additionally, when the parasites are illustrated in black-and-white printed illustrations, it is difficult to correlate the parasite that appears in the black-and-white illustration with the magnified multi-colored image of the plant specimen since one of the most distinguishing characteristics of plant parasites is their color or absence of color. Moreover, an enlarged color illustration in a reference text causes certain identifying characteristics of the respective parasites to be over emphasized, thereby providing too much information and thereby distorting in the mind of the user those distinguishing characteristics of the parasites likely to identify same. Finally, textual illustrations of plant parasites usually depict the plant specimen standing alone, instead of illustrating the plant parasite on the plant life afflicted thereby, thus making it difficult for the untrained observer to discern the parasite when the actual plant specimen is studied.